The invention relates generally to the field of exercise devices. More specifically, the invention relates to hand-held exercise devices of the type used to strengthen the hand and forearm.
For the exercise of the hand and forearm, it is common practice to use an exercise grip. Such exercise grips commonly take the form of a pair of grip arms suspended at an angle from each other and joined at a common end by a coil or spring mechanism which exerts a resistive force when the grip arms are moved towards one another. In operation, the grip arms are grasped and squeezed, compressing the coil and thereby moving the grip arms toward each other for each exercise stoke. Upon release of the grip arms, the coil causes the grip arms to extend to their original or starting position.
Other exercise devices comprise a pair of frames slidably disposed with one another and having a spring mechanism connecting an end of each frame one to the other. When one end of a frame and the adjacent end of the other frame are grasped by a hand and pulled towards each other, the spring exerts a resistive force upon the user's hand.
For the progressive strengthening of a hand, a number of separate exercise grips are needed, each having a different stiffness for each degree of hand strength to be achieved. In addition, to accommodate the exercise of both large and small hands, different sized devices must be made available to accommodate each hand size. Unfortunately, the necessity of providing many different devices of various sizes and strengths is costly to the consumer.
In addition, for the physical rehabilitation of a hand, such exercise devices are not capable of measuring the compressive force exerted by a patient's hand or recording the patient's progress during rehabilitation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cost effective exercise apparatus which facilitates the development of hand and forearm muscles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a comfortable exercising apparatus which may be adjusted for use by hands of varying sizes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a variable resistance exercise apparatus which permits the measurement and display of the compressive forces exerted by a hand.